


Got My Eye On You

by Pantherlily



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Critical Role Relationship Week, critrole rsweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 14:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14955996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pantherlily/pseuds/Pantherlily
Summary: Vax and Fjord have a chance meeting through fate. Post campaign 1 but pre campaign 2. Spoilers for both. One shot for Critrole RSweek.





	Got My Eye On You

Vax’ildan, Champion of the Matron of Ravens. One of his jobs now that he was dead, was to escort souls from the material plane to the next plane of existence, which varied depending on the soul in question. Another job he had, was making sure those who were touched by fate did not pass on too soon. The latter, however, was much rarer than the former. However, he much preferred helping those solider on to whatever life may have in store for them.

Today was one of those days, when he got to help someone keep on rather than dying permanently. He was invisible to those on the material plane, as he sat on the mast of a ship. It was leaving the city of Port Damali. It was due to sink, and everyone was going to die, except for some half orc. Vax didn’t know the man’s name but right now that didn’t matter. Waiting was always the boring part, of course he never got an _exact_ time, that would be too easy. Just a day and an approximate timeframe.

The ship was of decent size, some kind of cargo ship was his guess. The cause of the untimely demise of the rest of the crew became evident when the ship was out at sea and a storm blew up seemingly out of nowhere. They tried in vain to stop the ship from being tossed and turned, but when lightening stuck the main mast. It split and cracked until it fell to one side. With the strong winds it all but crippled the ship. Some tried using the smaller life boats to get away but those were lost at sea easily. It frustrated him, in situations like these, where he couldn’t save all of them. But it was something he simply had to accept and had, but it didn’t mean he liked it.

A half orc was flung overboard, the only one on the ship that he had seen, and Vax knew it was time to move into action. He followed the man and watched as he struggled for breath, the look of panic and fear in those yellow eyes when it became apparent he was drowning and couldn’t find the way back up to the surface. Poor guy, what a shitty way to die. Well, it would be if the strings of fate hadn’t touched him. What matter of fate wasn’t his business only that something was going to bring him back and it was his job to make sure he came back to consciousness.

* * *

There were worse jobs than being a sailor, he supposed. The half orc didn’t mind it really, he got to travel a little. Maybe he’d even finally get to see an orc or at least another of his kind. Without thinking he touched at his bottom lip where his tusks should protrude but only found nubs that were filed down to almost nothing.

This trip was supposed to be just like any other. Deliver goods from one place to the next, then come back with a new load to somewhere else. Except, it didn’t quite turn out that way. The storm had hit at night, when most of the crew was sleeping. It hadn’t been the first time they had been caught in a storm but this one seemed even fiercer than some of the others they had encountered in the past.

When the main mast fell, he knew that was it for them. It didn’t stop him from trying his damndest to save the ship. It was hard work, as large waves constantly slammed against the ship and over the railings. One particularly nasty one, made him lose his grip on a rope and swept him overboard. Landing under the water disoriented him and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t seem to find his way to surface.

The half orc had never been terribly religious before, but he began praying and begging to anyone that would listen to save him. He didn’t want to die like this. As the last air bubble left him and his eyes closed, he wasn’t sure what happened entirely next. Was he dead? There was darkness all around him then something opened in front of him. A single eye was staring back at him? That was more terrifying than drowning a moment ago. Which he had, hadn’t he? There was a voice inside his head and he was certain it was coming from the eye that occasionally blinked at him. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what it was saying entirely but it wanted him to agree to whatever it was. He did so, without a second thought and as the eye disappeared that deep, booming voice reverberated one word in his mind, ‘good.’

* * *

Vax waited patiently in the in-between-plane as he called it, the one between life and death. When someone wasn’t quite either just yet. It wasn’t a very exciting place, filled with mostly grey colored…nothingness, was the best way to describe it. When the half orc finally appeared, he gave a friendly smile. “Ah, there you are.”

The newly anointed warlock stared at the strange pale half elf, with long black wings. “I’m sorry and you are?” It was always best to be wary of strangers, especially if they were waiting for you. He slipped into his thick, fake accent with ease. It wasn’t the first time he had done it.

The smile curled into an amused smirk, as it was quite a common question. Although some had been far more colorful and less than polite than that. “I am Vax’ildan. I’m here to bring you back.” By the unimpressed, blank look he got he knew this one had never heard of him.

“I’m…” He trailed off and hesitated a moment before continuing on. “…Fjord. And where exactly are you taking me ‘back’ to?” The half orc was still suspicious as ever.

If breathing was something Vax could do, he would have exhaled a sigh. Of course, there would be questions. There almost always was. Hopefully the direct approach would be useful in this situation, this…Fjord…seem to be the pragmatic type.  “You died but fate has other plans for you, so I am going to take you back to the material plane.”

Fjord stared hard at the half elf. This had to be some kind of joke, right? Except…he did remember drowning and what an awful experience that had been. He didn’t want to think about it or everyone he had lost. And…hadn’t there been an eye? Or had he hallucinated that?

When no reply was given, Vax decided to just press on. “I am sure you have a lot of questions. I can answer them, but you won’t remember anything from here or probably after drowning period.”

“Right…thank ya kindly but I think I’ll find my own way.” Fjord began to walk away but he wasn’t entirely sure where he was going.

Ah, one of those. Fine then. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do. Vax waited and watched as Fjord walked by three times before getting frustrated and stopping, when it was clear he wouldn’t be going anywhere. “You won’t be going anywhere without my assistance.” Even with all of eternity to be a shuttle for souls didn’t seem to temper his annoyance and his words had more bite than he had intended. Maybe after doing this for several hundred years he’ll be better at this.

Fjord didn’t like this one bit, but he didn’t seem to have much choice in the matter. He was certain he wouldn’t be forgetting this anytime soon no matter he had been told. “If what you say is true and I died then where in the Nine Hells are we?”

“Sort of a go between the material plane and the next plane of existence of wherever you are meant to go after death. If you are ready to rejoin the living, then?” Vax took a step closer, ready to be done with this and return to his Queen.

It took effort not to step back when the other moved closer to him. “Fine, I guess. Let’s get this over with.”

With a smile and a nod, Vax reached out his hand and gently pressed his palm to Fjord’s head, causing the half orc to crumple with closed eyes but was caught with ease by the half elf.

A sputtering breath and the coughing up of sea water brought Fjord back to consciousness. He felt awful, but he was…alive? Hadn’t he drowned? But here he was…on some beach and safe, relatively. There was a sword next to him, one he had never seen before but felt compelled to pick it up. It felt right in his hand, as he stood up and began making his way towards what he hoped was civilization.


End file.
